Steam-boiler gage.



. A. 11m. A. HUNSIGKER. STEAM BOILER GAGE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 9, 1911.

1,041,628. Patented 001;. 15, 1912.

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A. D. 6; B. A. HUNSICKER. STEAM BOILER GAGE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 9, 1911.

Patented Oct. 15, 1912.

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wue/wtom Allan D Hunsickem K Q M Ber'iram A. Hunsicker" attoznzv ALLAN 1HUINSICKER AND Bnn'rRAM A..I-IU1\TSIGKER, or SHAWNEE, OKLAHOMA.

sTn m oILEn GAGE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed September 9, 1911. Serial No. 648,456.

1}) all whom it may ccncem:

Be it known that we, A AN D. HUNsIoKER and BERTRAM A. HUNSIOKER,citizens of the United States of America, residing at Shawnee, in thecounty of Pottawatomie and State of Oklahoma, have invented new and useful Improvements in Steam-Boiler Gages, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to improvements in sight gages for steam boilersand has for one of its objects to provide a device of this characterwhich maybe automatically oper ated to shut ofi the flow of steam andwater from the boiler in -the event of the sight glass becoming broken.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of a manuallyoperable con-; trolling valve for controlling the operation of theautomatic valve mechanism.

A further object of the invention is to provide an automatic valve and amanually operable controlling valve therefor, the latter being operableto test the operation of the automatic valve, to cut off the operationthereof entirely or-to allow the same to operw ate automaticallytocut-off the flow of both steam and water from the boiler, in the eventof the sight tube being broken, according to the position of thecontrolling valve.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists in theconstruction, combination and arrangement of parts as hereinafterdescribed, claimed, and 111113? trated in the accompanying drawings,wherein is illustrated the preferred embodi; ment of the invention, andwherein:

Figure 1 is a view in elevation of a steam boiler gage constructed inaccordance with the present invention. Fig.2 is a side view of the sameapplied to a steam boiler, one of the valves. being shown in verticalsection,

Fig. 3 is an enlarged vertical sectional view of oneof the valves. Fig.4 is a transverse section on the line 4P4 of-Fig. 3, the controllingvalve being rernoved. Fig. 5 is a detailed perspective view of thecontrolling valve and its operating handle.

Referring more particularly to the accompanying drawings, whereinsimilar reference numerals designate like parts thronghout the severalviews, the numeral 1 'desigs nates the sight glass, to the opposite endsof which are secured the improved valve mechanisms 2-2, the latter'beingconnected with the steam boiler 3. As the valve mechanisms A aresubstantially identically constructed itis thought that a description ofone will suffice for both.

Each of the valve mechanisms 2 comprises a casing 4, constructed ofbrass or any other suitable material, made up of two sections 5 and 6,and a cap or. cover section 7, each of the sections 5 and ,6 beingformed on its outer surface with acircumferentially extending octagonal,or other noncircular, flange 8, for the purpose of receiving a wrench.

One end of the section 5 is formed to provide an exteriorly screwthreaded nipple 9 for the purpose of receiving one end of the sight tube1, the other end of such sight tube nular extension 12, interiorly screwthreaded and adapted toreceive an exteriorly threaded extension 13formed on the section 6. The inner and outer ends respectively of theflanges 12 and 13 are correspondingly beveled to form a fluid-tightjoint as at let. The outer or free end of the section 6 is provided witha screw-threaded annular 6Xt6I1S1011'15 adapted to receive theinteriorly screw threaded flange of the cover section7.

An automatic cut-off valve 17 is operatively positioned within thesectionfi, the lower face of said valve being formed with a convexsurface 18 adapted to coincide with a valve seat 19 formed in thesection 5. Depending from the surface 18. of the valve is a valve stem20 which is slidably mounted within the bore 21 of the section 5, thesaid bore being formedwith an annular guiding Patented Oct. 15, 1912.

rib 22 against which bears one end of a tion. An annular guiding rib 24cis formed integral with the surface 18 of the valve 17 .so as tosecurely hold the spring'on the stem thereof. Thevalvel'? is formed,near its marginal edge, with a steam port 25 the purpose of which willbe hereinafter fully described.

A rigid diaphragm 26 is positioned in the section 6 of the casingadjacent the valve 17 and has an opening formed therein ,its seat 19 inthe event of the sight glass becoming broken. The upper surface of thevalve 17 is spaced a suitable distance from the diaphragm 26 so that inthe normal position of the valve steam from the boiler may pass throughthe apertures in the diaphragm on to the upper surface of the valve andthrough the port 25 therein, around the valve and its seat, and into thesight glass. Adjacent its outer end the section 6 is interiorly formedto provide a valve seat 29 on which is mounted for rotary movement amanually operable controlling valve 30 in which is formed a port 31adapted to register with one of the passages 32 and 33 formed in thesection 6 of the valve casing. The port 32 communicates with a chamber34 formed intermediate the diaphragm 26 and the controlling valve 30,while the port 33 is in communication with the space beneath the lowersurface of the valve 17.

The cover section 7 has a nipple 35 formed thereon which is incommunication with the interior of the boiler. Formed centrally of thecap or cover section 7 is an opening 36 through which projects a stem 37carried by the upper surface of the valve 30. Embracing the stem 37 ofthe valve 30 and intermediate the cover section 7 and the valve is ahelical expansion spring 38 which keeps the valve 30 in contact with itsseat 29 at all times. Surrounding the stem 37 and engaging a nipple 39formed on the cap 7 is a jam nut 40 for the purpose of forcing thepacking 40 around the valve stem. At its outer or free end the stem 37is connected with an operating lever 41 one end of which terminates in ahandle 42 to which is attached a spring clasp 43 adapted to nor mallyengage one or the other of a plurality of grooves 44 formed in theflange 8 of the section 6 of the casing for the purpose of holding thevalve 30 in any desired position. In the operative position of thedevice, that is, when it is desired that the valve 17 shall operateautomatically, the port 31 of the controlling valve 30 is inregistration with the port 32 of the valve seat 29, being adjusted tosuch position by means of the handle 42. In this position of the valve30 it will be obvious that steam from the boiler will enter the casingthrough the nipple 35,

to the top of the valve 30, from the upper surface of the valve thesteam will pass through the ports 31 and 32 of the valve and its seatrespectively into the chamber 34, through the apertures 28 of thediaphragm 26 on to the upper surface of the valve 17 and through theport 25 therein, thence between the valve 17 and its seat 19 through thebore 21 and into the sight glass. From this construction it will be seenthat the pressure of the steam above and below the valve 17 is balancedand by means of the spring 23 the "valve is normally held away from itsseat. Upon the breaking of the sight glass the pressure below the valvewill be released and therefore the valve will be automatically seated bythe pressure above the same thereby cutting ofl the flow of steam andwater from the boiler.

The section 5 of the casing is provided with a passage 45 the inner endbeing in communication with the bore 21 and the outer or free end beingprovided with a blow-off cock 46. clean out thevalve and the sight glassthe port 31 in the valve 30 is brought into registration with thepassage 33 of the section When it is desired to 6 by manipulating thehandle 42 thereof. In this position of the valve "steam is directedfromthe boiler through the passage 33, between the valve 17 and itsseat, and by opening the blow-off cook 46 is blown into the atmospherecarrying with it sediment and the like which may have collected in thevalve or water glass. After the valve 17 has been seated, due to thebreaking of the sight glass, the same may be restored to its normalposition by the operation just described. By manipulating the valve 30so that the port 31 is out of registration with the passages 32 and 33,steam and water may be kept out of the sight glass,

.and in this position of the valve the sight glass and the lower section5 of the casing together with the valve 17 may be removed for thepurpose of cleaning or repairing.

From the above description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings it will be seen that we have provided a very efficient andnovel form of valve mechanism for sight gages, one which is positive inits operation and which may be easily and thoroughly cleaned or repairedwithout disturb:

ing the condition of the boiler.

We do not limit ourselves to the exact details of construction as hereinset forth as various changes may be made within the scope of the claimsand without departing from the spirit of the invention or sacrificingany of the advantages thereof.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim and desire to secureby Letters Patent is 1. In a gage of the class described, the'combination of a valve adapted to be actu ated by fluid pressure in onedirection, a second valve adapted to control the flow of fluid to thefirst valve to actuate the same, and a diaphragm intermediate saidvalves and apertured to permit the flow of fluid to the first namedvalve to actuate the same to a closed position in the event of the gageglass breaking.

2. In a gage of the class described, the combination of a valve adaptedtobe actuated by a fluid in one direction, a second valve adapted tocontrol the flow of fluid to the first valve to actuate the same, meansfor operating said second valve, and a diaphragm intermediate saidvalves and apertured to permit the flow of fluid to the first namedvalve to actuate the same to a closed position in the event of the gageglass breakmg.

3. A gage including a casing formed with fluid passages and having apair of valve seats therein, a valve adapted to cooperate with one ofsaid seats and capable of being actuated by fluid pressure, a secondvalve mounted 011 the other of said seats and manually operable andhaving a port formed therein, the passages terminating in the lastnamedvalve seat and being adapted to reg ister with the port in thesecond-na1ned valve, said last-named valve being adapted to control theadmission of fluid to one or the other of the said passages, and adiaphragm intermediate said valve seats and apertured to permit the flowof fluid to the first-named valve to actuate the same in one directionin the event of the breaking of the gage glass.

4. A gage of the class described, comprising a casing, said casing beingformed with passages, an automatic valve arranged in said casing andhaving a port formed therein, and a diaphragm carried by said casing andhaving apertures formed therein for communication with said valve, acontrolling valve, one of said passages communicating with the lowersurface of said automatic valve, the other of said passages being incommunication with said diaphragm, and said cont-rolling valve beingoperable to control the admission of fluid to one or the other of saidpassages.

5. In a gage of the class described, a casing having fluid passagesformed therein and provided with valve seats, an automatic valve adaptedto cooperate with one of the seats, and a manually operable controllingvalve rotatably mounted on the other of the seats and having a portformed therein, said passages terminating in the last-named valve seatand being adapted to register with said port, and said last-named valvebeing adapted to control the admission of fluid to one or the other ofsaid passages.

6. A gage of the class described including a casing formed with fluidpassages and provided with a pair of valve seats, a valve adapted tocooperate with one of the seat-s and capable of being actuated by fluidpressure, a second valve mounted on the other of said seats and having aport formed therein, said passages terminating in the last-named seatand being adapted to register with said port, said last named valvebeing adapted to control the admission of fluid to one or the other ofsaid passages, said casing being provided with a chamber intermediatethe valves, and a diaphragm within the chamber and apertured to permitthe flow of fluid to the first named valve to actuate the valve in onedirection in the event of the gage glass breaking.

In testimony whereof we aflix our signatures in presence of twowitnesses.

ALLAN D. HUNSICKER. BERTRAM A. HUNSICKER.

Witnesses:

WILLIAM A. DENTON, JAMES S. SIMMONS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Gommissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C.

